Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyearbyen and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyearbyen and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,184 in Longyearbyen versus $2,744 in Stavanger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Longyearbyen versus $4,187 in Stavanger.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,853 in Longyearbyen versus $5,629 in Stavanger.

Living in Longyearbyen costs roughly 20% less than in Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Longyearbyen 63% above, Stavanger 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.54 NOK 191

$25.49 NOK 237

-19.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 947

$121 NOK 1,122

-15.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.80 NOK 128

$15.31 NOK 142

-9.86%

Cappuccino

$6.14 NOK 57.0

$5.17 NOK 48.03

18.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 33.80

$4.04 NOK 37.57

-9.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NOK 35.85

$3.47 NOK 32.20

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 NOK 68.1

$11.15 NOK 104

-34.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.56 NOK 88.8

$10.27 NOK 95.4

-6.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.01 NOK 27.96

$2.45 NOK 22.73

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 NOK 31.44

$3.02 NOK 28.03

11.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 29.53

$4.56 NOK 42.38

-30.26%

Eggs

$4.90 NOK 45.55

$4.46 NOK 41.46

9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 NOK 99.2

$13.11 NOK 122

-18.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.80 NOK 137

$16.72 NOK 155

-11.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.22 NOK 262

$27.15 NOK 252

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 30.89

$3.58 NOK 33.26

-6.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 28.45

$2.56 NOK 23.80

19.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 NOK 29.48

$2.98 NOK 27.72

6.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 NOK 42.73

$4.61 NOK 42.83

-0.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 29.82

$2.09 NOK 19.42

53.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 32.70

$3.09 NOK 28.70

13.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 NOK 17.28

$2.50 NOK 23.27

-25.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 NOK 6.11

$1.81 NOK 16.81

-63.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 NOK 138

$15.37 NOK 143

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 NOK 141

$19.14 NOK 178

-20.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 NOK 30.31

$3.63 NOK 33.70

-10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.09

$4.13 NOK 38.39

-0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 40.59

$4.66 NOK 43.31

-6.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 NOK 690

$67.1 NOK 623

10.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NOK 93.1

$14.97 NOK 139

-33.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 NOK 9.45

$2.12 NOK 19.70

-51.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.43 NOK 431

$99.8 NOK 927

-53.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.42

$2.15 NOK 19.96

-2.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.2K NOK 327.2K

$34.0K NOK 315.8K

3.63%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.8K NOK 360.4K

$32.8K NOK 304.4K

18.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$75.3 NOK 699

$191 NOK 1,778

-60.68%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.77 NOK 360

$42.73 NOK 397

-9.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.58 NOK 461

$81.9 NOK 761

-39.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 NOK 466

$55.8 NOK 519

-10.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.51 NOK 330

$35.64 NOK 331

-0.36%

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 NOK 112

$19.51 NOK 181

-38.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$279 NOK 2,595

$318 NOK 2,957

-12.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,997 NOK 92.9K

$12.8K NOK 118.6K

-21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 NOK 877

$119 NOK 1,107

-20.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 NOK 488

$58.3 NOK 542

-9.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 NOK 1,018

$106 NOK 981

3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,400

$157 NOK 1,460

-4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 NOK 6,506

$1,604 NOK 14.9K

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$884 NOK 8,214

$1,115 NOK 10.4K

-20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 NOK 16.8K

$2,756 NOK 25.6K

-34.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 NOK 14.5K

$1,738 NOK 16.1K

-9.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,164 NOK 57.3K

$6,190 NOK 57.5K

-0.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,449 NOK 41.3K

$5,435 NOK 50.5K

-18.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,954 NOK 27.4K

$4,992 NOK 46.4K

-40.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

4.51

-2.88%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Longyearbyen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $700 in Longyearbyen and $1,604 in Stavanger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stavanger pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Longyearbyen vs $121 in Stavanger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $472 per month, with Longyearbyen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Longyearbyen vs Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Longyearbyen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Stavanger earns 69% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $700 in Longyearbyen versus $1,604 in Stavanger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Longyearbyen runs roughly 11% less than in Stavanger. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $279 in Longyearbyen versus $318 in Stavanger. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,184 in Longyearbyen versus $2,744 in Stavanger, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Longyearbyen but tight or insufficient in Stavanger. The gap between the two cities makes Longyearbyen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Longyearbyen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Stavanger, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Longyearbyen and Stavanger are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Longyearbyen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Stavanger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.